MIO: Memories in Orbit doesn’t clearly tell you that there is more waiting beyond the normal regular ending. After defeating Ati, you will see the credits and may think the story is fully complete. However, there is still much left in the game. After the Ati Boss fight, you can reload before the fight, giving you the freedom to explore the Vessel again and uncover what you missed. This MIO: Memories in Orbit Alternate Ending Guide details everything you need to know about the alternate ending.
Alternate Ending Guide – MIO: Memories in Orbit
To unlock the alternate ending, you must first collect every ability in the game. Many players will notice that after finishing the story, one ability is still missing. This usually means you didn’t discover all the hidden routes.
The key step is activating the Wheel. To do this, you need to find a severed finger and attach it to the hand beside the Wheel. This item is very easy to miss.
Finding the Severed Finger
To locate the severed finger, travel to the Redacted area and then go into the Lab. Once inside, drop down to the lowest point and follow the available path. Eventually, you will reach the finger.
Just above this location, a shortcut unlocks automatically. Use it to return quickly to the spawn point, then head back to the Lab’s main spawn area. Here, you can attach the finger to the hand and finally activate the Wheel. Then, rotate the wheel, which unlocks the Crucible, and then go there.
Unlocking the Crucible
Gaining access to the Crucible requires multiple steps. First, you will need to repair the Wheel and use it to open new fast travel routes. This also involves moving the Overseer into the Vaults.
To find the missing Overseer, start at the Vaults spawn point and turn left until you reach a large, empty room. Drop down to find an open drawer filled with robot parts, which acts as a hidden entrance. Follow the path forward until you reach a tube that sends you into another large room. Grab the Old Core from a broken machine nearby.
Then jump down and move left. Progress through this area requires activating all Gloomwater Pumps. If you encounter pools you can’t cross, it usually means a pump was missed. After repairing the Vaults Overseer, you will pass a robot and a ground-level tube that eventually leads to Mel. You can come back for Mel later if you want.
Steps to Reach the Crucible Using the Wheel and Shuttles
- Travel back to the Labs’ spawn point using fast travel
- Use the Wheel at the Labs to rotate
- Fast travel to the Vaults area once the Wheel has been activated
- Take the tube positioned above the Vaults spawn point, which will lead you back toward the Shuttle
- Climb upward through the Shuttle tube until you unlock the Vaults’ Shuttle spawn point
- Fast travel to the Promenade Entrance spawn point
- Enter the Shuttle located below the Promenade Entrance
- Activate the Wheel again
- Fast travel back to the Vaults’ Shuttle spawn point that you unlocked earlier.
- Drop down through the tube for the Shuttle at that location
Once completed, you will finally reach the Crucible.
Unlocking Flowing Steps
The Crucible lives up to its name. It is filled almost entirely with difficult platforming sections that require precise timing and patience. These challenges are long and difficult.
There are two possible routes through the Crucible. Completing them allows you to collect the data needed to progress. Once you return this data to Tomo and Samsk, you unlock the final ability: Flowing Steps. With this ability in hand, the path toward the alternate ending fully opens.
Reaching the Library
With Flowing Steps unlocked, return to the Bell Tower and climb to the top. On the right side, you can stand on a branch and move through a small opening in the leaves. Follow this hidden path until you reach an area filled with hanging lights.
Move across the lights until you reach the Gloomwater waterfalls. Using your new ability, you can now climb straight up these falls. Continue upward until you reach the Library. Pass by Kassandra, the robot, and head inside.
At the far right of the Library is an elevator with four stops. While each floor has value, the Lecture Hall is especially important, as it unlocks a new spawn point. Afterward, continue down to Precious Samples, where you encounter Shii.
Facing Shii
In Precious Samples, you will be stopped by Shii, who has been guarding a hidden truth. To progress further, you will need to defeat Shii, the actual final boss in MIO: Memories in Orbit. After the battle with Shii, you gain access to what Shii was protecting all along. This leads directly into the alternate ending cutscene, which is longer, emotional, and gives you time to reflect on everything that’s happened.
Rewards for Defeating Shii
Completing the alternate ending/defeating Shii in MIO: Memories in Orbit rewards you with the Welcome Home achievement. After the credits, there is also a short walking sequence that lets you see your actions across the Vessel.
That is all for this guide. Additional MIO: Memories in Orbit guides are linked below:
- MIO: Memories in Orbit Bell Tower Key Guide – How to Get
- MIO: Memories In Orbit Flowing Steps Guide – How to Walk on Liquids, Gloomwater
- MIO: Memories In Orbit Silo Access Badge Guide – How to Get
- MIO: Memories In Orbit Fast Travel Guide – How to Unlock
This concludes our MIO: Memories in Orbit Alternate Ending Guide. If you want to add anything to this guide, feel free to use the comments section below.
